


Wounded

by Gōng Lì Yǎ (Potchans)



Category: 19天 - Old先 | 19 Days - Old Xian
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 06:23:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14710784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Potchans/pseuds/G%C5%8Dng%20L%C3%AC%20Y%C7%8E
Summary: A short piece based on chapter 242, as well as many conversations on the TianShan discord server.'[...] But there were more of them. It didn’t take long for the other two men to join and throw punches and kicks at He Tian. It also didn’t take long for Mo Guan Shan to notice things were getting ugly quite fast.He Tian was just a teenager fighting grown-up men. One single teenager fighting three grown-up men. No matter how much He Tian believed in his own peak of strength against those thugs, Mo Guan Shan knew better that he couldn’t take them all alone [...]'





	Wounded

**Author's Note:**

> Yay, small non-smutty fanfic for once.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy.

Mo Guan Shan was so focused in actually breathing that he didn’t see who had kicked the thug holding his neck. Not that he really needed to see who the person was, since as soon as his body slouched and was held, Mo Guan Shan knew it was He Tian. The strong – threatening – voice telling the thugs they couldn’t even think about going anywhere was just the certainty he needed.

He tried not to talk. Mo Guan Shan could feel his throat dry from the pressure and blood, so he just looked as He Tian finally let go of his waist, after making sure Mo Guan Shan could stand on his own, and throw the first punch.

It was so strong that Mo Guan Shan heard the bones cracking on the impact. It must’ve hurt. But there were more of them. It didn’t take long for the other two men to join and throw punches and kicks at He Tian. It also didn’t take long for Mo Guan Shan to notice things were getting ugly quite fast.

He Tian was just a teenager fighting grown-up men. One single teenager fighting three grown-up men. No matter how much He Tian believed in his own peak of strength against those thugs, Mo Guan Shan knew better that he couldn’t take them all alone. And that, among other reasons Mo Guan Shan didn’t want to acknowledge, was what made Mo Guan Shan ignore the piercing pain on his chest and fight once more.

He grabbed one of the men by the shoulders and kneeled him in the back, smiling victorious when he saw the man hiss in pain and look at him. Mo Guan Shan was already hurt, so he knew for sure he couldn’t take two, and even though he didn’t want to lean on He Tian, not again, he had to let He Tian take care of the other two.

The fight didn’t last too long.

With both boys punching, kicking and kneeling, even biting at some point, soon the three men were all sitting on the ground, coughing blood and muttering curses between broken noses and lost teeth. Mo Guan Shan wasn’t looking at He Tian, and he honestly didn’t want to see his expression, especially after the deep voice made a shiver crawl up his spine.

“Don’t you ever get near him again.” He Tian said. If he was in pain, Mo Guan Shan couldn’t tell.

They left the alley together, and as they were getting close to the main street, Mo Guan Shan finally had the guts to look at He Tian. Deep down he wished he hadn’t.

He Tian’s nose was clearly broken. One of his eyes was starting to swell and it was clear it would become black in a few hours. Both of his knuckles were bloody, which made Mo Guan Shan wonder if he had punched with both hands. He wasn’t walking straight and it didn’t take a genius to notice he was hurt on the thorax, especially after seeing the white t-shirt with brown, grey and red dirtying it all over.

After looking at He Tian, Mo Guan Shan stopped walking and finally let the truth sink in. Not only He Tian had fought those thugs for and with Mo Guan Shan, but he had also gotten hurt on his behalf. For the second time. But this time it wasn’t a school fight against a bully, no. This time it was against three possibly loan sharks that could have, at any moment, drawn a gun and killed him on the spot.

He Tian didn’t risk his pretty little face. He Tian risked his life.

Mo Guan Shan absolutely hated being in debt with anyone. Throughout his life he was used and abused, as being the kid whose father was in jail. He knew people would only get near him for two reasons. One, they wanted to take advantage of Mo Guan Shan’s delinquent reputation to get one for themselves as well. Two, they wanted to use Mo Guan Shan, knowing he was emotionally weaker than the others after so many years facing bullying.

At first he thought that was what He Tian wanted. After learning Mo Guan Shan needed money, the rich boy just wanted to use him in exchange of money, and Mo Guan Shan was ok with that as long as he was getting paid. That, at least, until He Tian stepped over all of Mo Guan Shan’s boundaries and kissed him.

He Tian was a living puzzle.

From this point and on Mo Guan Shan wasn’t sure of what He Tian wanted anymore, and things only got messier and messier as each one of He Tian’s actions pointed to the fact that he wasn’t using Mo Guan Shan or that he wasn’t taking advantage of his social status either. It was something else, something else Mo Guan Shan couldn’t quite understand.

He didn’t have much time to dwell on the past, though. The clock was ticking, He Tian’s bruises – and his own, even – were getting uglier and Mo Guan Shan knew he had to do something about it. And that was what made him, or so he told himself, grab He Tian by the arm and drag him to his, Mo Guan Shan’s, house.

Mo Guan Shan was so blinded by this entire situation that he didn’t even remember his mother was there and that she would ask questions.

A lot of questions.

“Mo Guan Shan, where have you been?” He heard as soon as the door was opened, followed by a gasp, a low ‘Dear Lord’ and a series of muttered questions that soon grew in volume. “What happened?” She said. “First you vanish, then you ignore all of my phone calls and now you get home like… This.”

“We got in a fight.” He answered, dragging He Tian to a chair and making him sit. He tried not to wince too hard, but he knew he wasn’t doing a good job.

“Against each other?” She asked hopeful, Mo Guan Shan could tell.

But Mo Guan Shan wasn’t feeling like lying.

“It was about the debt.” He tried hiding his anger. He couldn’t. “They insinuated stuff.” His voice got far as he walked to the bathroom, soon coming back with antiseptic, bandages, cotton and a piece of cloth.

“Were you with him this whole time?” She turned to He Tian, who only looked upwards with a plastered smile and nodded once. Liar. “How many?”

“Three.” He Tian mumbled. “Cowards.”

Mo Guan Shan went back to He Tian with the items, plus a small bowl filled with water and a napkin. He gave the napkin to He Tian and just saw as he spit some clotted blood on it, wincing in pain. It was the first time Mo Guan Shan had seen He Tian with a pained expression. Even when he fought She Li he maintained the tough façade, but now he was just beaten He Tian.

“Are you gonna take care of me, Little Mo?”

He Tian was clearly teasing Mo Guan Shan, but he didn’t let himself get carried away by his emotions a second time that day. So Mo Guan Shan only ignored He Tian’s words and grabbed the piece of cloth, wetting it and cleaning the blood and dirt out of He Tian’s face.

Mo Guan Shan wasn’t delicate or caring, so of course He Tian retreated his face a few times, hissing with the harsh treatment he was getting. Soon, however, his face was clean enough to actually see the damage.

There were at least two cuts on his lips, as well as his left cheek. Nothing that needed stitches, but something that would leave a mark if not taken care properly. His right eye was swelling and the skin was getting darker, and Mo Guan Shan knew he needed some ice on it to make it look better. Less bad. By the way He Tian’s jaw and cheek moved, Mo Guan Shan wondered if he had lost any teeth or cut the insides of his mouth.

He probably had.

But the worst thing was by far the broken nose. He Tian’s nose was in a position it was clear it wasn’t supposed to be, and Mo Guan Shan knew he had to put that back in place. After many years fighting, Mo Guan Shan had dealt with broken noses himself, and many times he caught himself putting his nose back in place so his mother wouldn’t get worried. Too worried.

It was risky, he wasn’t a doctor, but he also knew He Tian wouldn’t go to the hospital after Mo Guan Shan did the last thing he would normally do – drag He Tian to his house.

“I gotta put your nose back in place.” He said, which cause his mother to look terrified at him. “It’s gonna hurt.”

“Mo Guan Shan, you should take He Tian to a doctor.”

“It’s ok, auntie.” He Tian intervened with a reassuring hand gesture. “It isn’t the first time Mo Guan Shan helps me after a fight.” He didn’t say Mo Guan Shan had fixed his nose before because he hadn’t, but he clearly implied that.

Mo Guan Shan took advantage of He Tian’s sudden change of attention to grab his nose and yank it back to place. It was one swift and strong movement that made He Tian flinch and curse, it still worked, though, and He Tian’s nose was back in place. Mo Guan Shan tried to hold his relieved sigh, yet he couldn’t.

“Afraid of messing up my face?” That snarky comment made Mo Guan Shan contemplate breaking He Tian’s nose again. More. It was already broken, right?

“Shut up.” He retorted, his attention going back to the place where everything was set. He grabbed a piece of cotton and put on some antiseptic on it, holding his hand awfully close to He Tian’s cut brow – that one cut he had overlooked. “That’s gonna sting.”

He didn’t give much window for He Tian to think about the pain and started disinfecting all of his opened wounds, smirking a tiny bit every time He Tian hissed and muttered curses. It didn’t take long for Mo Guan Shan to finish cleaning and covering all the wounds the best as he could.

“Take off your shirt.” Mo Guan Shan ordered, only noticing his words half a second later and regretting it profusely.

“Can’t wait to see me naked, huh?” He Tian commented, his teasing tone dancing on his tongue and making Mo Guan Shan pissed.

“Shut the fuck up and do what I said.”

Mo Guan Shan didn’t need He Tian to take off his shirt. The way his body was bent over as they walked back had already given away that He Tian had bruises all over his chest. What Mo Guan Shan wanted to see was how bad it was looking, but of course, because he needed to know if he had enough ice to put on everything.

It was worse than he expected.

He Tian had one purple bruise on his chest, the size of a hand, probably made by a punch. His sides were covered in all shades of purple and green, and it was all swollen. Mo Guan Shan wanted to keep his expression as nonchalant as possible, but before he could control, his scowl was much deeper and his expression showed he had seen something horrible.

“I take it as I look like shit.”

And then, just like a tsunami, all of the emotions Mo Guan Shan was bottling up because of the fight’s high and the worry, that he would never confess, came back as strong as ever. Before Mo Guan Shan could notice, his eyes were already red and thick tears were leaving it. After seeing how hurt He Tian was, everything seemed to become even more real than it was.

Too real.

His silence became a whimper. His whimpers became sobbing. And slowly his sobbing evolved into a full bloom break down.

Mo Guan Shan didn’t understand.

He didn’t understand why he was crying. He didn’t understand why he was treating He Tian’s wounds. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t control his anger. He didn’t understand why those memories had come back to haunt him. He didn’t understand why those men had to appear that one specific day. He didn’t understand why his father wanted to see him out of the blue. He didn’t understand how he could keep everything inside for so long.

Above everything, however, he didn’t know what He Tian wanted from him.

Mo Guan Shan’s mother was visibly worried about her son’s action once he started crying, but before she could do anything, He Tian got up from the chair and walked to her, asking her if he could talk to Mo Guan Shan, in private. He Tian didn’t explain, but something in his low and worried voice made her comply, and soon her bedroom’s door was closing behind her back.

He Tian then walked back to Mo Guan Shan, trying to think what he could do. After not a whole lot of thinking, as he didn’t have much time, He Tian outstretched his arms as delicately as he could and brought Mo Guan Shan closer.

They spent a few minutes like that. Mo Guan Shan’s forehead resting on He Tian’s shoulder. He Tian’s hand on Mo Guan Shan’s head, soothing his cries with circular movements while he felt the warm tears wet his skin.

“Why?” Mo Guan Shan said. His voice was choked by the tears and even though he wanted, he kept his head on He Tian’s shoulder.

He didn’t want to face He Tian.

“Why did you help me?” He repeated, his voice stronger and louder. “Why are you always following me?” But soon he broke again, giving up in controlling his emotions any longer.

He Tian didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say.

“Why do you always help me?” Mo Guan Shan’s questions took a different turn. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Still, He Tian didn’t have an answer.

“Why don’t you just act like everybody else?” Mo Guan Shan kept going. “Why don’t you just use me and break me and then leave me?”

All of that was knew, and even He Tian got shocked. But he still didn’t know what to say.

“What do you want from me?”

At last, however, a question He Tian could answer.

Even though he wanted to say much more, even though he wanted to tell Mo Guan Shan how much he cared about him, in the end He Tian settled with the safest answer he could ever give.

“I just want to be your friend.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, how was it?
> 
> Popsy's out~


End file.
